The links are paltry this week. That's because I unexpectedly ended up with another week of solo parenting AND daycare was closed at the end of the week.

The Husband was away for business the first week of March. At that event, he ended up being the first of us to get COVID. We knew we couldn't make it much longer without one of us getting it. Luckily, he knew he was exposed and tested before he came home. He went directly to a hotel to isolate so that kiddo and I would not be in contact with him.

While solo parenting is hard, I found that this time has shown me just how much I am capable of doing alone. (It helped that kiddo was on her best behavior most days.) I was able to do all the parenting, keep the house (somewhat) in order, run a few errands, get work done, and prepare for my weekend away. I'm tired but I'm also incredibly proud of myself. I thought this much time doing it all would leave me exhausted, frustrated, and, honestly, angry. Instead, I'm feeling pretty good. I know I can get through something like this again.

I kept telling myself, "Just make it to Friday." Hubby and I were supposed to go away together for our friend ski trip. Instead of going together, I am here alone. It's nice to have this break, but it's not the same.

This is the longest my husband and I have been apart in over a decade. We've been together for 16 years. In that time, I think the longest we've been apart is five days. This time, it's been 13 with one more night to go. I don't like it. There was one night I just burrowed into a blanket on the couch, put on a rom com, and moped. Admittedly, after learning of his positive test, I cried. Not because of the parenting to come but because I was so damn lonely. I'm an introvert. I like my alone time, but this was too much. 

Thank goodness for FaceTime and texting. That helped make the isolation feel less of a burden. But hubby better be prepared. Tomorrow, I am going to tackle hug him and not go for a while.

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I think I managed to read all of 20 pages of Midnight in Chernobyl this week. By the time I crawled into bed to read, I could barely keep my eyes open for longer than a few pages. It’s not the book. It’s me and my week. I look forward to making a large dent in this while I’m out of town for a work conference later this week.

*Books shared here are affiliate links for Bookshop.org

• Seeing the expected and unexpected in farm country. [The Deleted Scenes]

• What white women like me can do to decenter whiteness. [Anti-Racism Daily]

• An illusion of realness. [Link in Bio]

• How to fix a bland dish. [WaPo - gift link]

• Talking about the Oscar Best Picture nominees. [Up First]

• How your world view shapes your life experience. [Hidden Brain]

• The influence women of color have on the culture of cooking. [Code Switch]

• This week, I basically survived on multiple viewings of The Hating Game. I rented it last Friday, proceeded to watch it 5 times in two days, went ahead and bought it, and then watched it almost every evening the rest of the week. This is a basic rom com but was a comfort watch for me. I read the book the film is based on while the Husband and I were on vacation a few years ago. This was kind of a way for me to feel connected to him while we were apart this week. Plus, it's a pretty dang good adaptation. The scriptwriters made the more stretchy parts of the book's plot work, and the casting of the leads was perfect. They have excellent chemistry. [Amazon Prime]

• Wow. Just, wow. [Japan House London]

• This was a week of easy favorites. One night, I made the kiddo and I caprese naan pizzas. Usually I top these with fresh mozzarella. This week, I went with regular shredded. Still tasty and much more of the comfort food vibe I wanted. I served it with a side salad. Also, I skipped making my own balsamic reduction in favor of a fancy balsamic glaze I already had on hand. [Budget Bytes]

• Sheet pan meals make dinner prep so simple. I made a favorite of sausage and green beans. I tossed on mushrooms for some added deliciousness. This time, I left the sausages whole. Still good but the flavor of the sausage does not get to the veggies this way. We ate this with some crescent rolls - or "second rolls" as the kiddo calls them. [wonkywonderful]

I empathize with this polar bear so much. The look on her face is universal to tired motherhood. [Colossal]

Does your brain need a break? shhh noise lets you build a soundscape perfect for your ears. I’m just going to sit her for a bit listening to the sound of pages being flipped.

Accurate.